Gqeberha — A police officer attached to the Cyber Crimes Unit in Pretoria has been arrested in Gauteng and transported to the Eastern Cape to face charges linked to two violent kidnappings in the Nelson Mandela Bay area, the Hawks said on Tuesday.
Break in long-running probe, Hawks say
The accused, named by the Hawks as Warrant Officer Xolani Busakwe, 42, is expected to appear in the Gqeberha Magistrates Court today after his arrest earlier this week, the Hawks’ spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said.
Mhlakuvana described the arrest as a “significant breakthrough” in an intensive investigation into organised-crime activities that have involved kidnapping for ransom, extortion and robbery.
Two similar abductions under scrutiny
The Hawks say the probe centres on two incidents in the Swartkops and Kariega areas last year in which husband-and-wife victims were confronted by armed men and the female partner was taken and held for ransom.
According to the Hawks, the details of the two abductions were similar enough to prompt detectives to search for links between suspects and a wider criminal network. Both female victims were eventually released unharmed.
- 21 June 2025 — A female victim and her husband were attacked at their workplace; the woman was removed from a vehicle and abducted, and a ransom demand followed. She was released a few days later.
- 11 August 2025 — A second couple were attacked at their home; the woman was again removed from a vehicle, taken away and held while a ransom demand was made. She was also released unharmed.
How the investigation unfolded
Mhlakuvana said the investigation into the August incident led to the arrest of two suspects at a guesthouse in Summerstrand, where police recovered a substantial amount of cash. Follow-up leads from that arrest took investigators to Gauteng, resulting in the detention of the Gauteng-based police officer.
He said the striking similarities in the modus operandi — the number of attackers, the way victims were confronted and the subsequent ransom demands — pointed to a coordinated group rather than isolated incidents.
What is known about the accused
The Hawks have confirmed the suspect is a serving member of the South African Police Service attached to a Cyber Crimes Unit in Pretoria. He was arrested in Gauteng and brought to the Eastern Cape to face questioning and court processes.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Accused | Warrant Officer Xolani Busakwe, 42 |
| Units involved | Hawks (organised crime), SAPS Cyber Crimes Unit (accused attached) |
| Alleged offences | Kidnapping for ransom, extortion, robbery |
| Locations | Swartkops and Kariega (Eastern Cape); arrest made in Gauteng |
| Court | Gqeberha Magistrates Court |
Community impact and concerns
Kidnapping for ransom has left communities on edge in parts of the Eastern Cape, and the involvement of a serving police officer raises fresh concerns about inside knowledge being exploited by criminal networks. The Hawks did not say whether the accused acted alone or in concert with other suspects who remain at large.
Residents and business owners told local media last year that the abductions had shaken confidence, particularly after two high-profile incidents where women were taken from vehicles in daylight. Those victims’ families were contacted by perpetrators demanding payment to secure their release.
What happens next
The case will proceed through the Gqeberha Magistrates Court, where the accused will be formally charged and the Hawks will seek to tie his alleged actions to the broader investigation. The authority leading the prosecution and the exact charges to be preferred will be confirmed in court papers.
The Hawks urged anyone with information that could assist the investigation to come forward. They said evidence already recovered from the Summerstrand guesthouse — including cash and material items seized during the arrest of the two suspects there — had been crucial in tracing the network.
As the matter moves through the criminal-justice system, authorities face pressure to show how internal vetting and oversight will prevent alleged collusion between serving police officers and organised-crime groups.
Further updates will be available after the court appearance in Gqeberha.
